Congratulations to the Yorkshire Croquet Federation for continuing the spirit of the Challenge which involves two teams of eight players playing AC Doubles, GC Doubles and One Ball all in a day. Debbie James managed to muster 16 croquet lovers from across the county (with at least half from York!!) to assemble on a better than expected day of weather at the Scarcroft lawns to settle matters between The Fat Rascals and the Curd Tarts. Clubs represented were York, Beverley, Bishop Monkton, Driffield and Ripon. Six players were new to this format and it was very good to have them in the group.
The first round produced three victories of +1, +2, and +3 for the Curd Tarts with just the one triumph of +15 to the Fat Rascals.
The second round saw honours even with 4 points per team.
The last round was decisive with the Curd Tarts running out 6 – 2 winners in the one ball.
This meant a clear win for the Curd Tarts 16 – 8.
Special mention and credit must go to Richard Lamborn and Jack Upsall who were both undefeated through the day.
Lionel Stock graciously accepted the Glass Cup from the Tournament Manager Ted Flexman on behalf of the Curd Tarts.
Thanks due to Debbie James for all her work, many of the York members for helping set up and clear the lawns and to the lawn management team who had produced three excellent surfaces on which to play this fine tournament.
We hope that Croquet North will accept our challenge next year but I feel that this Intra Fed Challenge is here to stay – it is good to see players enjoying both codes of croquet and we appeal to more mainly GC players to come and give it a go next year. It could be that we will get sponsorship to match the team names!
Report on Next Generation for YCF Zoom meeting 12 08 2024 from Ted Flexman of Ripon Spa Croquet Club
For details of our 2023 project, please read the Croquet Gazette issue 406 pages 39 and 40.
Season 2024
As far as the Next Generation project has been concerned this has been a great disappointment. We had three experienced child protection cleared coaches last year, but were reduced to one this year, completely ruling out completing our schools programme. We had an invited open day at the club targeting the school contacts we had made last year and it turned out to be the wettest day of the season so far with no takers!!
So what do we feel we had achieved?
Certainly the first objective of raising croquet’s existence to three primary schools. Certainly giving those schools an enrichment to their curriculum which was very positively enjoyed by the children.
Certainly changing the image of croquet to some of the teachers and perhaps changing some negative preconceptions.
What have we learned that we can pass on?
You have to be very committed to take this on.
Perhaps we should have worked with only one school.
We need a larger group of players willing and cleared to work with children.
The four Uber sets are brilliant and very good to use with children eleven years and under.
The fun short games and activities are enjoyed by our players as well as the children.
We went into schools. It would have been so much better in some ways if the schools had been close enough to come to us!
Had illness not prevented us we could have created an after school club which I am convinced would have led to setting up a junior section for our club and I am bitterly disappointed this was not possible.
What next?
We haven’t given up! We are offering croquet as an activity as part of a Ripon Together Initiative for two mornings later this month and see what this might bring.
We will consider next season and see what is reasonable.
We are willing to help any YCF Clubs considering the Next Generation ideas in any way we can, because we believe in it!
You can please some of the people all of the time ………….
York U3A teamRipon Spa team
At the request of the league manager, on 24th March, Ripon Spa and York U3A agreed to trial the advantage method. The standard league system of 45 minutes a game plus 2 shots per ball after the whistle was used.
Ripon Spa handicaps were 7, 9 and 9. York U3A’s were 9, 12 and 12. Thus no great disparity
Practice followed a briefing and play started at 10:13 and ceased at 15:42. The average time taken for each of the 5 rounds was 58 minutes.
It took a few minutes to appreciate who did have and who did not have extra clips, where they went and what they signified. The players and I eventually got the hang of them. I never looked at the advantage post. I did glance at the centre peg.
The first doubles game stopped at the whistle, tied at 5/5. There was a discussion about using the extra shots, because it was unclear how running a hoop would affect the result, until the rules and scoring tree were consulted. At this point, York had actually run 4 hoops and Ripon had run 5. We looked at the ratio of what we had actually run, compared with what we needed to run. Ripon had run 5 out of 7 and York had run 4 out of 6. 5/7 is a bigger fraction than 4/6, so Ripon won. This position also occurred in a singles match in the afternoon
2 singles and 1 doubles match finished within 45 minutes. I did not allow the unfinished games extra time, to see how much extra time would have been needed.
The matches were just like level play ones to this [sole] observer, in the sense that there was a natural flow.
One small point on the Federation score sheet. In the rounds section, there is no provision for the handicap, only for the starting score. I see that there is room for the numbers, but not for the actual narrative.
Conclusion. The games flowed well and were enjoyed. Not one of the players knew for certain whether or not they were winning during the game. The final position was clear only when 7 hoops had been run. The final position, in unfinished games that were close, was always in doubt until the scoring tree was consulted.
It seems a compromise that almost works and thanks are due to Roy Tillcock for devoting so much time to devising the system. However, with all the paperwork on starting scores and scoring trees, I believe that it will have to be forced into use.
Eight players took part in this Golf Croquet Level Play Singles Competition. Their handicaps ranged from 1 to 12 with four different Clubs represented. (Pendle & Craven CC, Ripon Spa CC, Sheffield CC, York U3A Group).
L to R: Robert Mumford (RS), Mike Bradbury (P&C), Maggie Crossland (S), Sue I’Anson (RS), Lesley Kemp (YU3A), Michael Franklin (RS), Aileen Hingston (YU3A), Ted Flexman (RS). Play started with the 8 players in 2 blocks. The rankings after 3 rounds were: A Block: Sue I’Anson, Maggie Crossland, Lesley Kemp, Michael Franklin Z Block: Mike Bradbury, Ted Flexman, Robert Mumford, Aileen Hingston.
The afternoon rounds saw Mike Bradbury (P&C) and Robert Mumford (RS) in the final. The victor was Mike Bradbury, staking his claim, 7 hoops to 4. 3rd was Michael Franklin (RS), making a late comeback.
Mike receiving the trophy from TedMike Bradbury with the trophy and Robert Mumford
Two handicap changes were applauded. Congratulations go to Lesley Kemp, going from 12 to 10 and to Mike Bradbury for a change from 4 to 3. Thanks go to the weather Gods (who inflicted only light showers) and to Aileen Hingston for organising equipment and hospitality so successfully. (A chocolate and strawberry cake to remember!) And my thanks to all the players who followed directions without question even when they were uncertain where they would lead. A Manager’s delight! Anna Giraud
Yorkshire Croquet Federation Advantage GC Team Day
Ripon Spa CC Sunday July 7th
Ripon hosted this second Federation Day exploring the Advantage system, in particular seeking out the implications within a team tournament. This report will give details regarding the administration and play and also recommendations for team captains if the Federation wish to create a Handicap League based on the Advantage system. If any of our players or clubs want to venture into National competitions the experience of playing under the Advantage system will be invaluable even though it can give new challenges to team captains and league managers.
Play on the day.
12 players from four different clubs played today – York U3A, Brodsworth, Bishop Monkton and Ripon were all represented.
Two teams of three were already formed and two more created by mutual agreement during the welcome period, then teams were assigned opponents and courts and so the Avocets played the Bullfinches on courts 1 and 4: the Chaffinches played the Dunnocks on courts 2 and 3, keeping to these courts for 3 rounds of doubles and singles as in a usual Federation match.
We got off to a delayed start because of sorting out teams, handicaps and starting scores so only managed 2 rounds before lunch at 12.30. After the third round we had two winning teams from those pairings, Bullfinches won 4 -2 against the Avocets and the Dunnocks were impressive winners against the Chaffinches 6 – 0.
The fourth round, in which teams could choose which player played singles, was then a semi-final. The Bullfinches played the Chaffinches and won 2 – 0 and the Avocets triumphed over the Dunnocks by the narrowest of margins: the Avocets won the doubles 6 – 5, however, the singles resulted in a 5 all draw. The win was awarded to the Dunnocks according to the comparison of scores in an unfinished game but the match went to the Avocets 1 ½ – ½ for the scores on paper. It would have been fairer to have played the singles to an on court winner probably – one of the strange positions that this system threw up.
The fifth round then produced a final and 3rd, 4th play off in which the Dunnocks triumphed over the chaffinches again. However, the Avocets and Bullfinches finished the doubles 7 – 4 to the Avocet doubles and 7 – 4 to the Bullfinches singles! Since the Bullfinches had won over the first three rounds they were awarded the prizes of the personal Advantage GC scoring devices – may they use them merrily into the future!
My thanks to Alex Whitfield, Alison Holmes, Bob Strover, Chris Higgins, Eric Mawer, Frank Northfield, Jack Upsall, Jill Barraclough, John Atack, Michael Franklin, Robert Mumford and Sue I’Anson for a sportingly fought team tournament, and congratulations to Michael, Robert and Eric for coming out top of the perch!
Huge thanks to the Studley Royal ground staff in helping to prepare four courts so there would be no double banking and to the Ripon Spa team in providing refreshments, laying out the courts and clearing up and keeping track of the scores.
What we have learnt from the day.
A tournament for four teams of three is great fun but it is far easier to run a match between two teams under the Advantage GC Handicap system. On reflection a round of 3 singles for the semis and final must have produced a clear decisive result. If this idea is repeated we’ll know in the future. I suppose at the back of my mind I was trying to avoid double banking on the grounds of time and all those clips everywhere!
Team captains and players need to be aware of how the doubles and singles starting scores are calculated and how scoring clips are used.
Hosting clubs need plenty of scoring clips. We placed negative scoring clips on the centre peg and positive clips on the court number post.
Scores should be clearly announced after each hoop run as well as clips being put in place.
If there are time constraints ( we played to 50 minutes + 5 ) it is really important that all players are decisive, think ahead and play promptly. This applies in particular in doubles when prolonged discussion and deliberation can consume far too much playing time. In many matches more than 13 hoops needed to be run to produce a straightforward result. Today 12 matches had a clear 7 hoop winner and 8 were cut short by time even with this generous timing.
We finished play after 5.15pm, then had tea, cake and presentations and for players with distances to travel this can make a long day.
The benefits of playing freely without having to consider the use of extra strokes are in my view considerable and I would encourage clubs to keep trying Advantage games within their club sessions.
I think the score sheets will work but it would be good to make the Home and Away starting score boxes smaller and the Players boxes larger so there is room to put the handicaps for doubles and singles against the players’ letters in the central boxes, but alas I can’t do that!! Help, I’m sure somebody can!
Many thanks to the Federation for supporting days like this, several players had their first team tournament and indeed first tournament experience, it brought players from different clubs together and helps make us a stronger Federation.
Ted Flexman
7th July 2024
You want your starting score already ?Avocets John, Sue and AlisonBullfinches Eric, Michael and RobertChaffinches Frank, Alex and ChrisDunnocks Jack, Bob and JillJill decidingWill she ?Scorers enjoying a short break
The tournament was held at York on Wednesday 19th June 2024.
“What will you do if it keeps on raining?“I’ll still be there,” I mumbled, not quite sure what I would do.
After weeks of biting cold and drenching rain, it was a fair question a few days before the tournament. But the sun had decided to shake of its winter slumber, and we had a bright, fresh and, most importantly, dry day for the Tournament. Eight pairs from six clubs (Ripon Spa, York CC and York U3A, Brodsworth Hall, Bishop Monkton and Auckland) gathered at York. Competitors were assured that the electric fencing around Lawn One was not to prevent them from leaving before the tournament was complete, but only to deter the foxes, which had wreaked havoc the previous season.
Play was in a single block, all-play-all. Fitting in seven games, four in the morning and three in the afternoon, required tight time-scheduling. Games were limited to an initial period of 40 minutes, when a rasping air-horn marked time, players then had a further two turns each before the end of game, win, lose or draw. Double banking for all games increased the time pressure, but players responded well by starting games promptly and playing with due despatch. About half of the games concluded with the winners achieving seven hoops within time. At lunch, three partnerships (Sue I’Anson & Marcia Henderson, Robert Strover & Robb Wainwright and Robert Mumford & Kerry Macreavy) shared the lead with three wins each. The result was not decided until the final round, when the game between Robert & Robb and Sue & Marcia determined first and second place, with Robert and Robb proving worthy winners, with six wins out of seven. The least said the better about the performance of yours truly, in my first GC tournament, despite the heroic efforts of my partner Aileen Hingston. Oh well, there’s always next year.
Many thanks to Michael Franklin for acting as Referee, and to all those who helped set up the lawns and refreshments, and tidied away at the end, and to York CC for their hospitality. Lionel Stock Tournament Manager
YCF Short Croquet Team Event – Saturday 25th May 2024
This years Short Croquet Team Event was exceptionally well supported by the Federation Clubs – all the AC League Teams were represented, York managed to field an impressive three teams and there were more players wanting to play than places available. In all, six teams and 24 players assembled at York Croquet Club. The teams had a wide range of handicaps – at the low end were Sheffield with an aggregate handicap of 9½ bisques & 1 peel and at the high end were York 3 with 28 bisques between them. The preceding few days of torrential rain had left everyone with a sense of trepidation as to what conditions would be like on the day. However, Saturday morning was bright, warm and sunny; the lawns were green and lush after a good watering and well prepared, as usual at York. The afternoon turned cloudy and cool, but remained dry, so it was a case of jumpers and coats for warmth but we were all grateful, none the less, for the better than anticipated weather conditions. After a day of friendly but intense and competitive croquet, fuelled by copious scrummy cakes, the results turned out to be very much in favour of the high handicappers, both in the team and individual events. York 3 were clear winners of the team competition with two wins and two draws in their four matches – congratulations to Richard, James, Philip and Tom. There were three players on four wins from four games in the individual competition, who had to be separated on hoop points – the winner was Philip from York 3 (with a handicap of 8), second was Pete from Huddersfield (with a handicap of 10 and playing in his first competitive games outside of his club) and third was Robin from Beverley. Many thanks to all at York Croquet Club for hosting this event and for all the hard work behind the scenes that made it such an enjoyable day for everyone.
Richard, Philip, Tom and James of York 3 receiving the cupPhilip receiving the armada [plate
Members of YCF clubs -York, Beverley & East Riding, Huddersfield and Ripon Spa – gathered on the York lawns for the annual heat of the Charity 1-ball. Six rounds were played in distinctly chilly conditions. The morning play was further enlivened by a live broadcast interview on Radio York. Well done to David Young from York for holding his game together as he had both a microphone to navigate and a mallet to control in the course of his round 3 game! The clothes were a colourful red for this year’s charity, the British Heart Foundation. Best costume of the day was that of Simon Young from York, a Christmas pudding woolly jumper that kept the cold at bay. Cake was consumed, chat was enjoyed and competition was focused. The clear winner was Cathie Dance of York, with 6 wins from 6, closely trailed by Callum Johnson, also of York, with 5 wins from 6. The £200 raised entitled the YCF to send three players to a regional final.
Cathie, as winner of the heat, went on to represent the YCF at the regional final in Nottingham. She was accompanied by other YCF players: Dean Morton, winner of the Sheffield heat; Chris Atkinson, an eligible 2022 YCF heat finalist who missed his chance to compete that year due to catching Covid; Philip Jay of Huddersfield and Malcolm Tingle of York, next best-placed players from this year’s heat as Callum was unavailable to compete. Commiserations to Simon who missed out on the trip to Nottingham by one point!
The weather was glorious for the day of the Final at Nottingham where the finely manicured lawns stretched to infinity. From a field of 18 both Cathie and Chris reached the quarter finals, while Philip went one stage further to the semis, narrowly defeated by the high bisque eventual winner, Philip Bell from Bristol. Dean enjoyed his second time at the northern final, and Malcolm made his debut and got to grips with the lawns to score 3 wins from 6.
Well done to our finalists on representing the YCF so creditably, and thanks to all who competed in the heats this year.
Default to CqE allocation criteria (replacing ‘Croquet England Subscriber’ in Priority Group 2 to ‘Member of YCF Club’) unless stated in Special Event Conditions below
Closing date: 2 weeks before event
Entries before allocation date are considered to have the same entry date; entries thereafter accepted in order of receipt.
If you have been notified that your entry is accepted, make a payment to secure your place. BACS transfer preferred:
Name: Y&H Croquet Federation
Sortcode: 09-01-51
Account number 29781304
Use event code (code column) + player surname as reference
Event special conditions:
The CqE Allocation criteria wording is adopted for all events, replacing ‘Croquet England Subscriber’ in Priority Group 2 to ‘Member of YCFClub’
Short Croquet Team Tournament:
Team or individual entries accepted
If oversubscribed at allocation:
Priority Group 1: Teams that are in the YCF SC League
Priority Group 2: Other full teams
Priority Group 3: Part teams and individuals
Other CA Fixtures Calendar events at YCF clubs 8/9 Jun – York – Heart of Yorkshire AC 18pt (min handicap 6) 20/21 Jun – Huddersfield – Annual Full Lawn Mid – week Open Singles 10/11 Aug – York – White Rose AC Advanced 7/8 Sep – York – Viking challenge Short Croquet Singles
This year’s Intra-Fed Challenge, a warm-up for the resumption of the Inter-Fed Challenge next year, featured the Reds and the Blues in a triple bill of croquet – AC doubles, GC doubles and 1-ball. 18 YCF players competed to sample the two codes of the sport.
Eugene led the Reds to a 1 point lead after the morning session of 18-point AC doubles. Callum’s Blues pushed them hard with some fine hitting-in by playing partners Andrea and Chris. 3-2 to the Reds. Fortified by lunch and cake the teams resumed play with two rounds of GC. Newbie James Moir excelled, with outrageously good hoop running at 6 and a fast mastery of the in-off. Strong performances by Eugene and Lionel against Callum and Ted kept the Reds ahead, 9-6 after Round 2.
9 games to go and a final round of 1-ball singles. Could the Blues make up the deficit? Callum led the charge with victory over Eugene, Ted pipped Sally and Debbie pegged out against David. Thereafter a ‘red wash’, though Lionel entertained with several attempts to hit the peg before scoring a 6th point for the Reds. Final score: 15-9 to the Reds. Well played team Red (Eugene, Lionel, Cathie, Jack, James, Sally, Malcolm, David, Ian), commiserations team Blue (Callum, Ted, Philip, Chris, Maggie, Andrea, Helen, Denise, Debbie).
Great to have representation from so many clubs in the YCF (Sheffield, BERCC, Ryedale, Bishop Monkton, Ripon Spa, Huddersfield, York, Driffield) and to have some new faces this year. Special thanks to Ted for tall that he has done to encourage interaction of the codes, and for introducing the hybrid 1-ball to the YCF.
